STANLEY MATTHEWS

Stanley Matthews, arguably one of the most famous footballers "ever", died on February 23rd in 2000. He was my hero, following his impressive playing and character during the 1950s and beyond, I followed his career, once I was old enough to appreciate his performance. He was as famous as any footballer in the World, especially during his "pomp". He died on this day in 2000 and the streets of Stoke were lined with thousands of locals and his ashes were buried under the centre circle of Stoke City's Britannia Stadium. 

I had the privilege of meeting him on a couple of occasions, after his playing career but when he was still a true celebrity. He was a true legend of the game, playing in top flight football in England up to his 50th birthday, when still playing for his "home club" Stoke City.  The "Potters" was his home club and he made the move to a more "ambitious" club at that time, Blackpool. Having played for the "Seaside" club for most of his career, he evenually decided to "fade out" gracefully going back to Stoke for his final years.

Sir Stanley Matthews (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) played at "outside right". That might need explaining to some youngsters out there! At the time, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing football, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. His nicknames included "The Wizard of Dribble" and "The Magician".

Matthews kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50. He was also the oldest player to play in England's top football division (50 years and 5 days) and the oldest to represent the country (42 years and 104 days). He was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to the English game. He was never booked in his 33 year long career.

Matthews spent 19 years with Stoke City, playing for The Potters from 1932 to 1947 and again from 1961 to 1965. He helped Stoke to the Second Division title in 1932-3 and 1962-3. Between these two spells at Stoke, he spent 14 years with Blackpool, where, after being on the losing side in the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup Finals, he helped Blackpool to win the FA Cup with a formidable personal performance in the "Matthews Final" of 1953. Matthews was as famous as any footballer today and many would have cheered Blackpool's 4-3 victory over Bolton Wanderers at that time. Even some of the Bolton lads would have felt the importance of that victory....from 1-3 down, Matthews inspired a superb victory.

In 1956, he was named the winner of the inaugural Ballon d'Or, a prize given to the best European footballer each year. Between 1934 and 1957, he won 54 England caps, playing in the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 1954, and winning nine British Home Championship titles for England.

Following an unsuccessful stint as Port Vale's general manager between 1965 and 1968, he travelled around the world, coaching enthusiastic amateurs. His experiences included coaching in South Africa, where, despite the harsh apartheid laws of the time, he established an all-black team in 1975 in Soweto known as "Stan's Men". 

He was never booked in his 33 year career!  

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1932–1947	Stoke City	259	(51)
1947–1961	Blackpool	379	(17)
1961	→ Toronto City (loan)	14	(0)
1961–1965	Stoke City	59	(3)
1965	→ Toronto City (loan)	6	(0)
Total		717	(71)
International career
1929	England Schoolboys	1	(0)
1934–1956	The Football League XI	13	(2)
1934–1957	England	54	(11)
1947–1965	United Kingdom	3	(0)
Managerial career
1967–1968	Port Vale

FLOODLIGHTS at FRATTON

The pioneering souls at Fratton Park, yes, the Portsmouth Home Ground, were able to install floodlights in their stadium on this day in 1956. I have to announce that I saw my first professional game of football at Fratton Park, after the floodlights had been installed, in daylight around 1958. Yes, I was only a "nipper", and sadly it was not an evening match. When floodlit football was introduced to the hardly Hampshire fans (and their opponents), it was on this day  and inevitably there was trouble with the fuses! The hardy, Hampshire fans had to put up with a delay of 30 minutes but the game got going and Pompey "played up" winning 2-0 over Newcastle, who had come the length of the country, in February, to witness a defeat! Football had lodged itself into the mainstream of popular "culture.

Fratton Park is the club's ground in Portsmouth. Constructed in 1899, it has been the only home ground in Portmouth' F.C.'s history. The stadium's location on Portsesa Island makes it the only professional English football ground not located on the mainland of Great Britain!!. 

It's shown below and modernised from my original memory! 

AND....the....Stadium Background: Designed by Alfred H. Bone and opened in 1899 on a former potato field.

The first match at Fratton Park took place on September 6th 1899, a friendly between Portsmouth and Southampton, resulting in a 2–0 win for Portsmouth. It was watched by 4,141 spectators, Goals were scored by Dan Cunliffe and Harold Clarke. The first competitive match was on 9 September 1899, a 2-0 win over Reading in the Southern League Div One.

Subsequent developments included the pavilion in 1905, capacity expansion in 1935 and floodlights in 1956, making it the first ground in England to stage an evening Football League match under artificial light. Its maximum capacity has been reduced to 20,867 since it became an all-seater ground in 1996. Several relocations plans proposed during the 1990s and 2000s failed to materialise.

Fratton Park is affectionately nicknamed "The Old Girl", "Fortress Fratton" and "PO4" (an abbreviation of its PO4 8RA postal code) and has a reputation for high attendances and a powerful atmosphere, similar to that of larger capacity stadia.

GOOD OLD JIMMY, BRAD

 21st February 2004

If you ever think of leaving a match early to miss the rush, just think of what you might miss! Back on this day in 2004 Charlton were beating Blackburn 2-1 in their Premier League clash at The Valley. In the last minute of normal time, Blackburn were awarded a corner and desperate for an equaliser their goalkeeper Brad Friedel went forward to join the attack – and he scored! It was the only goal the American scored in over 600 league and cup games he played in this country. But his involvement in the game wasn’t over. With seconds of added time remaining he had to retrieve the ball from the back of his net – Charlton had scored the winner in the 3-2 victory. Early leavers would have missed all that!

Friedel played 84 games for the USA National side between 1992 and 2005, and represented his country at three FIFA World  Cup tournaments. He is the current holder of the Premier League record for most consecutive appearances with 310, a feat he achieved during spells at Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, until he was left out of the Tottenham team on October 7, 2012. The last Premier League games Friedel missed were Blackburn's final two fixtures of the 2003–04 season against Tottenham and Birmingham City, on May 10 and 15, 2004, respectively.

Friedel is also officially Aston Villa's oldest-ever player, a record he set on February 1, 2011, by playing in the club's Premier League fixture away at Manchester United. Friedel's age of 39 years and 259 days surpassed the previous record held by Ernie Callaghan, who last played for Villa against Grimsby Town in April 1947, aged 39 years and 257 days. Friedel's last appearance for Villa was on May 22, 2011, in a 1–0 home win against Liverpool, aged 40 years and four days.

On May 6, 2012, Friedel also became the oldest player to appear in a competitive match for Tottenham when he played in the club's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa, beating Jimmy Cantrell's near-80-year-old record. He ended his Premier League career after a total of 450 appearances, which remains a record for any North or South American player.

jimmy Cantrell began his professional career at Aston Villa. The inside forward played in 48 matches and found the net on 22 occasions for the club between 1904 and 1907. He moved to Notts County in 1907 where he was converted to centre forward. Top scorer in his three seasons at County he maintained a goal "every other match ratio" in 131 matches and scoring 64 goals in his time there. Tottenham Hotspur impressed by his goal scoring paid a substantial sum for his services in 1912. 

In a career interrupted by the First World War, Cantrell lead the Spurs forward line that won the Football League 2nd Division in 1919-20, with, a then record 70 points. He went on to collect a winner's medal in the 1921 FA Cup Final, at the age of 38. He played his last match against Birm,ingham City just short of his 40th birthday making him the oldest Spurs player to feature in a League match. This record lasted until 6 May 2012 when Brad Friedel appeared for Tottenham Hotspur against Aston Villa in the Premier League. Cantrell remains the oldest outfield player to appear for Spurs. Cantrell played 176 times and scored on 84 occasions in all competitions between 1912 and 1922. He joined Midland Club, Sutton Town on 8 October 1923, retiring in 1925....CAREER BELOW.

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1904–1907	Aston Villa	48	(22)
1907–1912	Notts County	131	(64)
1912–1922	Tottenham Hotspur	160	(74)
1923–1925	Sutton Town

SOCRATES

On this day - one!!! that is on the 19th February 1954, the Brazilian footballing legend, doctor and dictatorship-resistor, Sócrates was born and named Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. Playing for Corinthians, an historically working class team, Sócrates co-founded the Corinthians Democracy movement opposing the brutal US-backed dictatorship. In 1982 they won the state championship with "Democracia" emblazoned on their shirts.

Sócrates was the first born child of Raimundo and Guiomar Vieira, born in Belém, Pará, and was relocated with his family to Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, in January 1960, after his father Raimundo earned an important position as revenue supervisor. This job earned Sócrates' father the status of a small-town hero in Igarapé-Açu, where the family lived at the time. His father's new salary allowed Sócrates to attend the best school in Ribeirão Preto, Colégio Marista. 

In a biography written by the journalist Tom Cardoso, it is revealed that the small library Sócrates' father had built in his home, containing philosophy books and other works, came under threat as of the 1964 Brazilian Coup d'Etat. Sócrates watched his father rid himself of books that he so loved. He recalled: "In 1964, I saw my father tear many books, because of the coup d'état. I thought that was absurd, because the library was the thing he liked best. That was when I felt that something was not right. But I only understood much later, in college." At age 10, Sócrates was exposed to the repercussions of the military dictatorship's censorship. His childhood was marked by this event which he came to comprehend as an adult later in life.

Sócrates married four times, divorced three times, and died in his fourth marriage. He had six children. He was a columnist for a number of newspapers and magazines, writing not only about sports, but also politics and economics. He frequently appeared on Brazilian TV programmes as a football pundit. At the time of his death, Sócrates was writing a fictional book about the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Sócrates was a physician, a rare achievement for a professional footballer (he held a bachelor's degree in medicine from  the medical school of the Univ of Sao Paulo). Even rarer is the fact that he earned the degree while concurrently playing professional football. After retiring as a player, he practised medicine in Ribeirao Preto. He was also noted for being an intellectual, a heavy drinker and a smoker... for youngsters out "there", this is not to be recommended.

When Socrates moved to Italy, he was asked which Italian he respected the most, Mazzola or Rivera (football players of Inter and AC Milan, respectively), he responded?? "I don't know them" he replied. "I'm here to read Gramsci in original language and to study the history of the workers' movement" (referring to Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci)!!!!

Learn more about the radical history of football here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/sports

and on this day (20th February) in 1982, Corinthians, led by Sócrates, won the Paulista State Championship while promoting democratic reform. 

IRELAND JOINS INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL

On February 18th 1882, Ireland became the fourth country to join the growing international scene, when they played their first international match against England at The Knock Ground, Bloomfield, Belfast. The occasion was spoilt by this being the country's heaviest defeat, in front of 2,500 spectators. The well established England team gave the "new boys" a 13-0 lesson in their international debut, including 5 goals by Howard Vaughton, still a record for England internationals individual scoring record. Arthur Brown scored 4 and it was 4-0 at half time. The well established English team gave the "new boys" a 13-0 thrashing (England's greatest total) which included a 5 goals haul by Oliver Howard Vaughton (below), which remains an English individual scoring record and Arthur Brown scored 4. It was 5-0 at half time. 

Other England results in this season: v Ireland 18 Feb 1882 13-0 friendly!! v Scotland 1-5 11th Mar 1882 (Fr): v Wales 3-5 13th March 1882

 

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QUAKES AND SHAKES EVEN IN PORT TALBOT!!

 

On 17/2/2018 in South Wales, there was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake, recorded at places between Liverpool and Devon, which caused the abandonment of the Welsh League fixture after 41 minutes between Port Talbot and Taff Wells, in South Wales. 

The epicentre was near Cwmllynfell, the biggest (earthquake NOT name) since a 5.2 mag. in 1906. Yellow circles = events from 1350-1969:  Red since 1970.

The game carried on shortly afterwards with the home team winning 2-1.

Taff's Well is a hot thermal spring village, with water at 21.6 deg C, a nice tourist attraction and Wales' only natural thermal spa amongst the Carboniferous Limestone* of South Wales. It is the base for the film "The Englishman who went up the Hill etc" and the local Arthur's shop is the basis for David Jason's "Open all Hours".

Note NICE slide show.....

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/920343/uk-earthquake-today-wales-port-talbot-football-swansea-england-quake

In the centre of England at Leicester City's King Power Stadium, the crowd stood up to celebrate their last minute winner by Ulloa, against Norwich City on February 27th 2016. A university student in his laboratory 0.3 miles away, with a seismograph (that's a thing that measures quakes!!), noted an energy release.

AND of course there is the "San Jose Earthquakes" founded in the US Major Soccer league 1994 as the

San Jose Clash. The city is ON the San Andreas Fault, which you will have heard of I'm sure. The club plays at the Earthquake Stadium!

* maybe look this up, you will be shaken by the information.

ASHINGTON AFC

16th February 1929

Mention Ashington to any football follower and the chances are they will have heard of the birthplace of 1966 World Cup winning brothers, Bobby and Jackie Charlton YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT.......... and Jackie Milburn, a legend at Newcastle United, also played for the town’s team, known unsurprisingly as the Colliers. I hope these names are familiar with you!

Ashington AFC was formed in 1883, making it one of the oldest Clubs in Northumberland. Despite its minor status it entered the FA Cup as early as 1887. After joining the Northern Alliance in 1892, the club soon switched to the East Northumberland League where it remained until 1902 when it returned to the Northern Alliance. The Colliers played in this league until 1914, winning the League Title in 1913/14, as well as the Northumberland Challenge Bowl in 1913. They switched to the North Eastern League in 1914/15, finishing the season in ninth place. The outbreak of World War One brought an end to the League.

Ashington spent 8 seasons in the Football League in the 1920s, their last season being 1928/29. They finished bottom of the Third Division (North) that season conceding 115 goals with their worst defeat being 8-2 at home to eventual champions Bradford City. 

On this day in 1929 Ashington suffered another major defeat at their Portland Park ground that season, 4-7 against Doncaster Rovers with Tom Keetley scoring 6 of the Doncaster goals. That was – and still is – the record goals scored by a Doncaster player in a League match while the 180 League goals he scored in his Doncaster career also remains a Rovers record. 

Amazingly Tom was one of six Keetley brothers who played in the Football League including four – Tom plus Harry, Joe and Frank – who turned out for Doncaster Rovers.

Ashington failed to gain re-election at the end of the 1928/29 season, their place being taken by York City of the Midland League.

Unfortunately, a difficult few seasons followed both on and off the pitch. A few close scrapes with relegation saw the club frequently changing managers and with increasing uncertainty surrounding the clubs Portland Park ground, Ashington FC made the worst start to a season in the club’s history in 2007/8 which saw only one point gained from the first ten matches. In came manager Andy Gowens, a former Ashington player, who worked wonders in keeping the Colliers in the Northern League First Division. On Friday 15th February 2008 Ashington played their final game at Portland Park against Seaham Red Star. A bumper crowd of 1,954 – the biggest attendance at a Northern League game in over 25 years – saw Seaham spoil the party with a 3-2 win.

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Sat 14/2/2026 0 - 2 North Ferriby vs Ashington

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Tue 17/2/2026 7:45 pm Blyth Town V Ashington